Improvement in methods of burning hay, straw, leaves



A. HAMILTON. Method of Burning HayQStraw, Leaves, &c. -N0.1 64,993. VPaten ted hin29, 1875;

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT QFFIGE.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON, OF ORESOO, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN METHODS OF BURNING HAY, STRAW, LEAVES, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,993, dated June 29,1875; application filed March 1, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ALEXANDER HAMIL- TON, of Cresco, in the county ofHoward and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Method ofBurning Hay, Straw, Leaves, &c., of which thelfollowing is a specification:

My invention consists of a method of burning hay, straw, leaves, andother similar substances, whereby they may be practically utilized insubstitution for wood and coal as fuel.

Straw, hay, and leaves, in theirnatura-l state, cannot properly becalled fuel with any more propriety than paper, cotton, or gunpowder.From their extreme porous, light, fibrous, and elastic nature, (ignitingat a low temperature, say 500 they give such free access for oxygento-every part of their mass in burning that the carbon is almostimmediately saturated, and their combustion partakes almost of thenature of explosion.

Now, I have made a new and useful discovery, viz., that if such materialbe properly compacted and compressed, and so kept during combustion, thepores, fibers, and elasticity of the mass are so modified that the toofree access of oxygen is prevented, and the supply is so regulated thata pound of carbon in such form may be made to yield as much heat, asregularly and availably, as can the carbon contained in a pound of woodor This I consider to be new, as I do not know that any material hasbeen burned under a continuouspressure to prevent the-access of oxygen,and it is useful, as it makes available for fuel thousands of tons ofmaterial of which no use can now be made, and that, too, in countrieswhere coal or wood are scarcely to be had.

ashes which obstruct the draft, and any further pressure that compactsthe mass shuts off the air and extinguishes the fire.

Coal and wood are practical fuel, because the method of using them areknown; but hay, straw, leaves, 850., are not such until they become soby some appliances not heretofore generally known, and such appliances Iclaim to have discovered.

Figure 1 isa sectional elevation of a stove that may be used forcarrying out my invention, the section being taken on the line 00 w ofFig. 3. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 3, andFig. 3 is a top View.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a box-stove, preferably of sheet-iron, in which is apress-follower, B, adapted to be raised up to the top of the firechamber0, and receive fuel of hay, straw, and the like under it, say from atubular feeder at D, and then be forced down on the fuel to press itinto a dense mass. In this case the follower is provided with a toothedbar, E, extending up through the top of the stove, and gearing with acranked shaft, F, for working it; but it may be worked by a screw or anyother approved means. The feeder may extend out through the side of thehouse, or through a partition into a room in which the fuel is stored. Grepresents a partition over the fire-chamber, and below the top plate,

with dampers H, for causing the heat to pass up through different parts,as may be required.

K is the bottom grate, which may be contrived so as to rise and fall,and be provided with arms and rockshafts for operating it, the objectbeing to adjust it relatively to the follower, according to the quantityof fuel required between them. a

It will be readily understood that when the pressure is upon the fuelthe flame cannot act upon the mass either at top or bottom. Oombustioncan only go on around the sides to which the heat and air have access,so that the consumption of fuel is very slow, and can be easilygraduated by the draft supplied.

The process of burning in a stove straw, hay, leaves, and analogousmaterial While under pressure, as set forth.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

.H. T. REED,

ALEX. MEADOWS.

